


Not the Only One

by ailixandrite2dot0 (AILiSeki)



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gem/Human Hybrids (Steven Universe), Gen, Major Original Character(s), Set during the Zoo arc (SU)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24154972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AILiSeki/pseuds/ailixandrite2dot0
Summary: Steven and the Crystal Gems arrive in Pink Diamond’s Zoo, but something strange seems to be going on.
Relationships: Steven Universe & Original Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	1. Not the Only One

**Author's Note:**

> This is super self indulgent. I regret nothing.

Sapphire had never been to Pink Diamond’s Zoo before, and it had been millennia since she had last dealt with Homeworld, yet she could tell from the start that something was off.

It was clear in the face of one of the Amethyst guards the moment she saw them, before running off probably to call her supervisor. It was in the nervous manner that Holly Blue Agate spoke to her. Not to mention that her future vision was very weird since they entered the structure. Instead of the clear line that she usually saw when it came to gems, in that place she saw a mess of possibilities.

Just like on Earth.

At some points of the “tour”, Sapphire felt like Holly Blue Agate was trying just as hard to keep it together as all of them. She had to be hiding something. Sapphire could only hope that whatever it was, it wouldn’t interfere in their plan.

* * *

Steven looked confused at the group of humans greeting him. They looked… happy. Kind. This was not what he was expecting to find in that place.

A tall, tan man started asking him about some story Greg told them, and Steven had no idea of how to react. He just wanted to get away with his Dad before the scary gems outside found out who they were.

“Dad, we have to-” He was interrupted by a strange, robotic voice speaking right into his ear in an annoying condescending tone. “What was that?”

The man in front of him chuckled. “It’s the voice. You can take this off if you want.” He pointed at his ears.

Steven touched his ears and felt the earrings put in there. “Is it alright to just take them off?”

A woman stood near the man and nodded.

“The gems seem to think we can’t take care of ourselves on our own. So they gave us these things to remind us of what to do. But we do fine without them.”

Steven noticed that no one else there seemed to wear them. A bit hesitating, he took his own off. The woman reached out her hand to take them from him.

“Ey-One can use these to-” She started, but the man elbowed her and shook his head.

“Not now.” He whispered. “We still have visitors.”

The woman nodded. “You must be hungry. It’s almost fruit time. Why don’t you come to meet everyone, Ste-van?” She kindly invited him.

Steven looked up at his Dad.

“We have to leave this place.” He whispered.

“I know. But there isn’t a lot we can do right now. These people aren’t bad. Let’s blend in with them and learn more about this place before doing anything risky.”

Steven nodded, reluctant. He would probably have argued more if he wasn’t hungry.

“I am Jay-Ten, by the way.” The woman introduced herself as she gave Steven and Greg two big and strange fruits. They had just grown on the trees, and they had a geometric shape. They were a mix of colors that seemed to be trying to imitate real fruits but ended up looking artificial anyway.

“And I am Wy-Six!” The man said cheerfully. “I am happy to have you around. I mean, I am not happy that you both were captured from Earth, but it’s nice to have new faces here.”

Greg smiled, while Steven tried to hide his discomfort by studying the fruit in his hands.

“We don’t have many children here. It’s only Ey-One. She is about Ste-van’s age.” Jay-Ten said.

“I don’t think I have met her yet,” Greg said.

Steven looked around. Indeed, he had only seen adults so far.

“She gets uneasy when there are visitors in the Zoo,” Jay-Ten said. “She will come out when those gems are gone.”

“Do you receive many visitors?” Steven asked.

“Usually it’s only Blue Diamond,” Wy-Six said. “She doesn’t come for us, of course. I don’t think she even takes a glance this way, but it’s better to stay safe.”

Steven gulped. Did Blue Diamond threaten the humans there? Were they in danger on top of being trapped?

He saw that Greg also tensed.

“Don’t worry!” Jay-Ten said, noticing it. “The gems rarely cause us any trouble. I know life here is very different from Earth, but it’s not that bad. Especially when there are no visitors up there.”

Greg sighed in relief. Steven decided he was too hungry to not give that fruit a chance.

It actually tasted good. In a very artificial way, but at least it didn’t taste like plastic.

“How is Earth, by the way?” Wy-Six asked.

“We are surprised that there are still humans there. We heard that everything there was wiped out after Pink Diamond…” Jay-Ten

Greg laughed. “No, the Earth is still there, and the humans too.”

“That’s great to know!” Wy-Six smiled a bright smile.

Steven had to agree with his father. These people were nice. He wished he could take them to see Earth too. But getting out with Greg was already hard enough, and he didn’t have a lot of time.

* * *

Amethyst didn’t think she would ever meet the gems that came out of the same kindergarten as her, and some days previously she wouldn’t even have looked forward to it. She guessed they must all be like Jasper.

How wrong she had been.

Now that she met them, she saw they were all amazing. So amazing that she saw herself telling them the real reason she was there. All of it.

“So the Sapphire, the Ruby, and the Pearl are cool?” Amethyst 8XJ asked.

“Yeah, they’re my friends.” Amethyst nodded.

“And the human they brought is also a gem?” 8XJ asked.

“Kinda? He is a human _and_ a gem. I know it sounds hard to believe, but…”

“Not really, I get it.” 8XJ brushed her off. “And you’re all here to take one of the humans back to Earth?”

“Pretty much.”

“Wow. Wait until Holly Blue hears about it!”

Amethyst panicked. “You can’t tell her! She is gonna crush us into pieces!”

The tall, curly-haired Amethyst exchanged a look with some of her nearby companions.

“8XM, we need you to trust us. We promise you we won’t let you or your friends get hurt. Do you trust us?”

Amethyst hesitated. She wanted to, but she had only met those gems. Could she risk it?

Another Amethyst, 8XL, shook her head to 8XJ.

Carnelian took a seat near Amethyst.

“Those gems that you’re friends with, are they the same rebels that fought the war on Earth?” She asked.

Amethyst nodded.

Carnelian gave the other Amethysts a look.

“Alright,” 8XJ said. “You told us your secret, now it’s our turn to tell you ours.”

* * *

Steven pretended to sleep when the artificial sun was replaced by an artificial moon and artificial stars. When he thought no one was watching, he stood up to wake up his father.

After telling him of the door he saw from outside, the two of them started looking for it, when they bumped into Jay-Ten and Wy-Six.

“Ga-reg! Ste-van! We were looking for you!” Wy-Six said.

“For us?” Steven asked, suddenly worried. Did they know they were planning on running away? Would they tell the gems?

Thinking of it, how would they tell the gems? It didn’t seem like they came into that area, but those humans seemed to know them. They even knew about Blue Diamond and Pink Diamond and that there were visitors… something was weird here.

“You want to go back to Earth, right?” Jay-Ten whispered. “We think our friends can help you.”

Steven and Greg exchanged a look. Could they trust them?

The two took them to a place among the trees, away from where the others slept. Wy-Six kneeled down and tapped on the ground following a clear pattern, producing a metallic sound. He stood up and took a few steps away, as a rectangle of artificial grass moved down, revealing an entrance.

Wy-Six and Jay-Ten entered first, signaling for Greg and Steven to follow them.

“What is this place?” Steven whispered, looking around. It was badly lit but he could see what looked like gem screens covering the walls. There was footage of different areas of the zoo playing.

Two other people were there. One was a man, he was maybe a few years older than Greg, and had long black hair. The other was a girl around Steven’s age, an inch or two taller than him. She had the same hair as the man, cut short, and was wearing a pair of earrings just like the ones Steven got rid of earlier. She was the one to answer him.

“My mother built this. It’s a way for us to keep track of what is going on in the Zoo when visitors are around. There is no way for this place to be seen from outside so it’s safe. I also can talk with our friends outside.” She pointed to her earrings. “Pretty cool, right?”

Steven looked around impressed. “And the gems don’t know about it?”

The girl took a moment, appearing to be considering her options. “Just the ones on our side. I know you probably don’t have the best experiences with gems, but the ones in charge of this place are on our side. We can trust them.”

Steven blinked. “Even Holly Blue Agate?”

“We wouldn’t be able to get away with what we do here if she wasn’t with us.” The girl smiled. “I am Ey-One by the way. This is my father, Gee-One.”

“I’m Greg, and this is my son Steven,” Greg said. “What exactly do you do here?”

“A long time ago, this place was built as entertainment for Pink Diamond,” Gee-One said. “Not that she ever cared much for it. The humans here weren’t mistreated but they didn’t have any freedom.”

“Then a war started on Earth, and Pink Diamond was destroyed.” Ey-One continued. “Blue Diamond took over, and decided to use it as a prison as well. A group of gems was imprisoned here, but one of them ran away and hid in this area with the humans.”

“She befriended them and together, they tried to take over the Zoo. In the end, they managed to make a deal: her companions were freed and the humans got more freedom, as long as everyone still acted properly when Blue Diamond or other gems were around.” Gee-One finished.

“It’s not perfect, but it works. For generations, the humans here are free to explore the whole station and to learn from the gems. The prisoners unfairly kept here can be with their friends or come down here to relax. And everyone keeps the secret.” Ey-One said.

“We are all friends!” Wy-Six added.

“That’s… amazing,” Steven said.

“My mother had plans of taking us all back to Earth, and she left all the data needed in here.” Ey-One pointed to the screens. “I think we can use this to help you two. We don’t have any ships, but maybe we can build a small one…”

“What about the Roaming Eye?” Steven asked.

“The ship that brought you?” Eye-One put her hand on a glowing panel, and the screen behind her showed the Roaming Eye in the hangar. “I think that Sapphire will notice it if it disappears. We can’t risk her learning about us.”

“Don’t worry, she’s my friend!” Steven said. “All the gems that came with me are my friends. We only came here to rescue my Dad!”

Ey-One blinked a few times. Her father, Gee-One, looked at Steven in a suspicious way. Wy-Six and Jay-Ten had their mouths open in shock.

“Friendly gems on Earth…?” Ey-One half asked. “You really came from Earth, right?”

“Yeah…” Steven nodded.

Gee-One covered his mouth with his hand. “It can’t be…”

“It has to be!” Ey-One said. “Those are the rebels, right? The ones that started the war and… got rid of Pink Diamond?”

Steven hesitated. “Yeah?”

Ey-One opened a big smile.

“Her mother used to tell stories of the rebels,” Gee-One explained. “They inspired her.”

Steven frowned. How could a human born in the Zoo know about the Crystal Gems?

“Her mother?” He asked.

Ey-One and Gee-One exchanged a long and significant look. Gee-One silently nodded.

“I know this will sound absurd,” Ey-One said. “My mother was the gem that started all of this.” She vaguely pointed around. “Rose Quartz Facet 5 Cut A10.”

As if to prove what she said, Ey-One brought her hand to her stomach, pressing on the fabric of her clothes in a way that the shape of a gemstone with a pentagonal facet was visible under it.

Steven’s eyes widened. He looked at Greg, who looked as shocked as him.

“Rose Quartz…” Steven said.

“When the Rebellion started on Earth, Pink Diamond sent all other Rose Quartzes to this place, so that they wouldn’t rebel too. Then, with Pink Diamond’s demise, the other Diamonds ordered they were all bubbled. A10 escaped to the human’s area.” Gee-One explained.

“She wasn’t a rebel, not initially,” Ey-One said. “None of the Rose Quartzes were. But the Diamonds still wanted to punish them for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“I’m sorry,” Steven said.

“It’s not your fault,” Ey-One said.

“It kinda is though.” He raised his hand to his stomach. If he was in his usual clothes, he would just raise his shirt, but the Zoo uniform made it hard to do. He tried to just show the shape, the same way Ey-One did. “The Rose Quartz who started the Rebellion… she is my Mom.”

* * *

“Holly Blue Agate!” One of the Amethysts ran to her boss and the small group of visitors she was taking to meet Blue Diamond.

“What did I say about running and shouting?” Holly Blue Agate asked, giving a quick and sharp nod towards Sapphire.

“We have something very important to tell you!” The Amethyst said. As if on cue, a small group of Amethysts appeared behind her.

“I’m sure whatever it is can wait until Her Clarity leaves.” Holly Blue Agate said.

Sapphire had a bad feeling about this.

“It cannot!” The Amethyst insisted. “We discovered a thing about these gems!”

An Amethyst that stood behind in the group stepped forward. She was holding Amethyst, their Amethyst, who was back to her usual form and size. She gave the Crystal Gems an apologetic look.

“She told us everything.” The Amethyst holding her said, keeping her voice low. “They are rebels. They’re only here to take one of the humans, that one Blue Diamond brought earlier.”

That was it. Sapphire tried to see a way to escape, but her visions were still blurry. Behind her, Ruby and Pearl were ready to summon their weapons. Amethyst… just hanged limply in her captor’s arms. What had they done to her?

Holly Blue Agate seemed more confused than angry at the reveal. That made Sapphire hesitate in starting a fight.

“They brought a human?” She asked.

“That’s not a human.” The Amethyst lowered her voice even more, and Sapphire needed some effort to make out her words, not that they made any sense to her. “He’s like Ey-One.”

Holly Blue Agate blinked a few times. “Stars, and I was taking them to Blue Diamond. Bring them to my office! And the rest of you, behave! Someone let me know when she leaves!”

Pearl and Ruby looked at Sapphire, as if waiting for her to tell them what to do. She wished she knew. They were outnumbered. And they still had Steven.

The three of them let themselves be taken by the Amethysts. Near them, their Amethyst mumbled an apology.

Holly Blue Agate’s room was spacious. Some floating screens showed the humans' area, where it was dark and they slept. Sapphire ran her eye through them, trying to find Steven, but he was nowhere to be seen. The Agate whispered some things to an Amethyst, who left, leaving there just the four Crystal Gems and four Amethysts, one holding each of them. And of course, Holly Blue Agate, who paced in front of them.

“Rebels in my station!” She exclaimed dramatically. That made the Amethysts chuckle. Instead of scolding them, she grinned. “What was the plan, was the hybrid going to break the human out while you distracted me?”

“How do you know-” Pearl started, but was cut by the Agate.

“What were you even going to say when I brought you to Blue Diamond?”

“I’m sure Sapphire would have thought of something,” Amethyst said, her voice and posture suddenly strangely calm.

“Do you have any idea of the trouble you could have gotten yourself into? The trouble you could have gotten everyone here into?” Holly Blue Agate asked. “Over four thousand years of keeping secret would have been for nothing!”

“Secret?” Sapphire asked.

At that, the Amethysts, including their Amethyst, started laughing. They soon put their prisoners down. Holly Blue Agate smiled.

Sapphire, Ruby, and Pearl couldn’t be more confused.

“Let’s just say it’s for everyone’s best interests to keep all that is happening here just between us.”

* * *

Steven couldn’t take his eyes from the screen showing Holly Blue Agate’s room. Ey-One had reassured him that everything was okay, but it was hard for him to see the Crystal Gems being held by those huge Amethysts. But they suddenly let them go and start laughing, and everyone’s postures relaxed, and he was starting to believe Ey-One.

“Holly Blue will keep your friends in her room, out of Blue Diamond’s sight,” Ey-One said, after finishing a call via her earrings. “I told the guards everything you told me, but apparently 8XM had already told them.”

“8XM?” Steven asked.

“Her?” Ey-One pointed to Amethyst on the screen. “Quartzes usually bond pretty quickly. Though you probably already know that.”

“Huh?” Steven asked.

“You’re half Quartz. You probably have an easy time making friends.”

“I guess?” Steven shook his head. “You know a lot about gems.”

Ey-One shrugged. “The guards told me about the war and stuff. Holly Blue taught me about the different gems and how to get away if I get into trouble with them. And the Rose Quartzes told me about Mom and how to use my powers.”

“The Crystal Gems taught me a little of everything,” Steven said. “But we don’t really get to meet many different gems on Earth. And when we do they usually want to kill me.”

“Ouch.” Ey-One made a face.

“It’s alright. I have befriended most of them.”

She gave him a look. “See? Just Quartz things.”

Steven chuckled. He looked back, where his father was chatting with the other adults. Just a couple of hours ago he was so worried about how to rescue him, and now everything was set. They just needed to wait for Blue Diamond to leave.

“Do you usually take care of all of this on your own?” He asked Ey-One, pointing to the screens.

“Not really. Only when Blue Diamond is around. This gem tech can only be used by gems, so I am the only human who can do it.” She explained. “To be honest, I am a bit scared of Blue Diamond. I have no idea what she would do to me if she knew what I am. So I prefer to stay here where I know she can’t see me.” A smile appeared on her face. “Most of the time, things are really nice here though. The doors separating the humans' area from the gems' area are kept open. We can do all sorts of things. It’s not Earth but it’s nice.”

“You have never been to Earth, right?”

“No. But I heard the stories. They have been passed through generations since the first humans that were taken here. Most of the gems here are from Earth too, except for Holly Blue. They haven’t been there in over 4,000 years, but they remember things well.” She sighed. “Things have probably changed so much…”

“They have,” Steven said. “I wish you could see it.”

“Me too. But it would be hard to get all these people there without the Diamonds noticing it.” Ey-One said that, but her expression was thoughtful.

Steven just nodded, unable to suggest anything. “What are the other Rose Quartzes like?”

“Are you worried about meeting them?”

“No… a little. I wouldn’t blame them if they hated my mother for… well, for everything.”

“The Diamonds ordered them bubbled, not your mother,” Ey-One said, serious. “Besides… gems may have a hard time wrapping their heads around this whole ‘children’ thing, but I think at this point they understand that I am not my mother, so they will know that you are not yours.”

Steven let out a nervous chuckle. “Really? Because I am not sure myself sometimes.”

Ey-One laughed. “Well, none of us is a tall, beautiful woman with pink hair.”

“I guess you’re right,” Steven said.

* * *

It felt like it took an eternity for Blue Diamond (and also Yellow Diamond, apparently) to leave, but once it happened, everything happened very fast.

The doors were open, like Ey-One had said they would be. Ey-One and Gee-One were surrounded by people asking them if they were alright, and Steven was approached by an Amethyst who gave him his clothes back, and also his father’s clothes.

Then, the Crystal Gems appeared seemingly out of nowhere and hugged him.

From then on, they were approached by many people, humans and gems alike, all full of questions. About Earth, about the Rebellion, about the rebel leader Rose Quartz, about Steven. None of them seemed to side with Homeworld, which was to be expected from the humans but was surprising coming from the gems. It was pleasant, either way.

The other Rose Quartzes came out from wherever they were hiding, which made a scene that felt very weird for Steven. Yet, putting aside all his conflicting feelings for his own mother, he was happy seeing how they interacted with Ey-One. They seemed to care so much for her.

The pink guards had their questions as well, but one of them, who looked almost identical to Steven’s mother and had her gem in the same place as he and Ey-One had theirs, seemed to notice his discomfort and told her companions to give him space. He silently thanked her, and was glad to see she didn’t seem offended.

“Alright!” Holly Blue Agate shouted above all the talking. It managed to catch everyone’s attention. “I know you all have many questions for our visitors, but I’m sure they’re eager to go home, so say your goodbyes. Be quick.”

The mood in the room became a little sadder. Ey-One looked at Steven, and her expression became determined. She raised her hand.

“What?” Holly Blue Agate asked.

“Why don’t we go with them?” Ey-One asked.

Holly Blue Agate blinked a few times. “I don’t think all the humans can fit in their ship. Besides, it would be hard to cover-”

“Not just the humans, all of us!” Ey-One said. “Mom had plans for taking us all to Earth. The only reason she never put them in motion is that she thought the Diamonds made it inhospitable after the war. Now we know it is not true.”

It seemed that Holly Blue Agate was first learning about it. “How did she plan to get all of us there?”

“The station is fully equipped for short trips.” A Rose Quartz said. “It can handle a trip to Homeworld for repairs. Earth is closer.”

“How can we move the _whole station_ without Blue Diamond finding out?” Holly Blue asked, not believing what she was hearing, or that she was seriously entertaining the idea.

“A10’s plans include disabling all tracking devices. She studied them for a long time.” The same Rose Quartz said.

“Disabling the warp pad shouldn’t be too hard,” Jay-Ten said, before Holly Blue could ask.

“We just need to stay out of her sight until we get to Earth,” Ey-One said.

“That’s risky. If we do it, we can’t ever look back.” Holly Blue said, serious. Almost afraid. “If we get caught-”

“The odds seem very favorable to this plan,” Garnet said, smiling. Ey-One smiled back at her.

“Would you just let us all stay on Earth?” Holly Blue asked.

“Sure.” Garnet shrugged.

“Why not?” Pearl said.

Steven smiled brightly at that. Amethyst started celebrating with her fam.

Holly Blue Agate sighed. “Who here votes for going to Earth?” She asked.

“They vote?” Pearl mumbled to Garnet. “Who taught them that?”

“Count them, Jay.” Holly Blue said, turning to a curly-haired Amethyst.

Even before she finished the counting, it was clear there were more hands up than down, from both humans and gems.

“Stars, we are doing this.” Holly Blue said. “A42, Jay-Ten, please go check what A10’s plans require us to do.”

Jay-Ten and the Rose Quartz that spoke about Ey-One’s mother’s plans started walking to the humans' area, a few others following them.

“You guys will love the Earth!” Steven said, excited, running to Ey-One and Holly Blue. “There’s so much I want to show you!”

Ey-One hugged him, laughing.

“We are going to Earth.” Holly Blue Agate said, sounding shocked.

“Are you alright with that?” Pearl asked.

“Yes.” Holly Blue said. “I mean, no, but if it means I will never have to see Blue Diamond again then I don’t even care!”

Garnet nodded sympathetically.

“Will we be alright?” Ey-One asked. “What will the earthlings think of us? We are basically aliens!”

“We are basically aliens, and we’re fine,” Steven said. “Don’t worry. You will all be at home there.”

Gee-One approached as the crowd started dispersing. “I’m so proud of you.” He told his daughter, hugging her. “A10 would be so happy to see this.”

“Rose would be so happy too,” Pearl said, placing a gentle hand on Steven’s shoulder. “She wanted so badly to rescue the humans trapped here.”

“The rebel Rose Quartz?” Gee-One asked. Pearl quickly covered her mouth with her free hand, but nodded. “I’m sure she did what she could.”

Pearl smiled at the man. “You’re Ey-One’s father?” He nodded. “We never thought… we never expected to find someone like…” She trailed off.

“I never expected it either,” Gee-One said. He looked at his daughter, who was listening fascinated to Steven telling her about Earth. “I was so lost when she was born. I don’t know what I would have done without everyone’s help.”

“We had our challenges as well,” Pearl said, shaking her head. “It will be good for them. To have someone who knows what it’s like.”

Gee-One smiled. “I think so too.”

* * *

Steven and the Crystal Gems and his Dad ended up staying longer than planned in the Zoo, to help everyone with their preparations to follow them to Earth. Pearl helped Jay-Ten and Rose Quartz A42 with things related to the system, Amethyst told the gems and humans about what to expect on Earth, and Garnet discussed serious business with Holly Blue and Gee-One about what complications they could find on the way.

Greg was having fun hanging out with everyone. Even with the Rose Quartzes, who made him freak out just a bit at first.

Steven also enjoyed getting to know everyone better. Ey-One was right, the Zoo wasn’t a bad place when the doors were open and everyone could do what they wanted. He told of his adventures with the gems to a group of Quartzes from the Beta kindergarten, and about Beach City to some curious humans. He showed his shield to the Rose Quartzes, and answered some strange questions from Gee-One about what it was like to grow up being half-gem.

But he spent most of the time with Ey-One. It was so strange to meet someone who was so much like him. He had never experienced anything like it before. Ey-One couldn’t summon her weapon yet, but in recent years she became stronger than most humans, and she was able to use gem tech. Her growth didn’t follow the graphs the gems used to predict the other humans', and the one time she shape-shifted her arm to be longer so she could reach a fruit on a high branch, she was scared she would not be able to change it back to normal.

“And then Dad forbid me from shape-shifting again.” She said. “Not that I am looking forward to it anyway.”

“My first time was tough too,” Steven said. “I got my body full of cat faces!”

Ey-One chuckled. “What is a cat?”

“It is an Earth animal.” He explained. “They look cute, but you don’t want them on your body.”

“Noted.” She said. “Sometimes I feel like I didn’t get any of the cool parts of being a gem. I wish I didn’t need to eat, for example.”

“That’s because you never had any real food!” Steven said. “When we get to Earth, you will change your mind.”

“Do you really think the people on Earth will like me?” She asked, suddenly turning serious. “You are the first kid I ever met, Steven. Everyone always says I am not like other kids…”

“Ey-One,” Steven said, taking her hand. “No two kids are like each other. No two people are. You will be fine. I’m sure my friends will like you!”

She smiled.

“Your friends… like Connie, and Lars, and… Onion?”

Steven nodded. “And Sadie, and Lion, and everyone!”

Ey-One nodded. “You didn’t tell me yet how you did stop the Cluster. Did the drill work?”

“Oh, right. So we were at the barn and we had just finished the drill. Then an earthquake started, and I had a dream-” He went on to tell more of his adventures.

* * *

Finally, the preparations were done. Steven and his family went aboard the Roaming Eye after a long session of _see you soons_.

“Will they be alright?” Steven asked, after the ship was on its way.

“Everyone said Ey-One’s mother knew the station better than anyone else,” Pearl said. “Her descriptions of the security and tracking systems were very detailed.”

“She did manage to make a fool of Blue D for 4,000 years,” Amethyst said.

“We followed all her instructions, and did some double checks,” Pearl said.

“They will be fine,” Garnet said. “Those people are tired of pretending to obey the Diamonds. They are ready to fight for their freedom. And they care for each other more than anything. I wouldn’t mess with them.”

Steven smiled. He knew that all to be true. He had to trust they would be okay.

* * *

The station didn’t arrive on Earth the same day as the Roaming Eye. The gems assured Steven that it was to be expected, as a structure that big couldn’t move as fast, not if it was to make sure everyone aboard was safe.

Still, Steven worried. He knew their escape was dangerous, and he couldn’t bear to think about what would happen to his new friends if they were caught.

It took them one month to catch up. They landed near an island far away from everything, which had a warp pad and plenty of space.

Garnet was the one to tell Steven, having seen it with her future vision. He wished he had enough time to prepare a “welcome to Earth” package, but he was too excited to meet Ey-One and everyone.

His eyes may have been a little teary when the and the Crystal Gems warped to the island and he saw the space station, gems and humans equally fascinated exploring the surrounding area. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for this came to me yesterday morning when I was thinking about AUs and crossovers of AUs and the idea of the crossover of one of the AUs I write and the one in [this prompt](https://steven-universe-au-prompts.tumblr.com/post/617494748655140864/au-where-steven-was-born-in-the-zoo-but-his-mother) and instead I ended up with a canon divergence featuring an OC. I was just recovering from a big writer’s block so I jumped into the chance to write it.
> 
> The Rose Quartzes follow the same number pattern they do in my Rose Moms AU. You probably noticed that Shy is the one who asked the others to give Steven space. A42, the one who worked on hacking the Zoo’s systems with Jay-Ten and Pearl, is Superfan (who is the “engineer” of the team in the Rose Moms AU). A10, Ey-One’s mother, is not supposed to be anyone we know, but she had a navel gem like Shy and Pink Diamond.
> 
> Ey-One’s and Gee-One’s Zoo names are supposed to reference the Earth names I picked for them, but I didn’t get the chance to show them. 
> 
> Of course I do have some ideas of how Steven telling Ey-One about the PD reveal goes...
> 
> If you read all of this, thank you so much! I hope you had fun :)


	2. Impostor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven has an important thing to tell Ey-One.

“You’re not here only to talk about the wedding, are you?” Ey-One asked.

She had a way of reading him that Steven at times hated and at times loved. He wasn’t sure which one was right now. Part of him wanted to delay this talk, while another part of him wanted to tell her the truth already.

He knew which was the right thing to do, of course.

“Yeah. Can we talk?”

Ey-One took Steven to the little village built by the former inhabitants of Pink Diamond’s Zoo. Steven had learned that everyone was loving having a private space of their own though they also still spent a lot of time as a community. The girl took him to the house where she lived with her father. Gee-One was currently fishing with his friends, so the children could speak privately there.

It was not that Steven didn’t want anyone else to know. He just wanted to take it slow, in case anyone freaked out.

They had a good reason to freak out.

They sat down by the door. Ey-One looked at him expectantly.

“So hm, I have been learning some things about Mom…” Steven started. There was no going back now.

Ey-One’s eyes lit up. She was a bit of a Rose Quartz fan, from the stories she heard from her family. That made it hard to tell her.

And that’s why he had to tell her.

“She was actually Pink Diamond.” He blurted out. There was no reason to delay it.

Steven saw confusion slowly taking over Ey-One’s face. She stuttered for a moment before finally forming an intelligible word.

“What?”

He wanted to just agree with her. That had been his first reaction. “Pink Diamond didn’t want to destroy Earth, but the other Diamonds wouldn’t let her do things her way, so she shape-shifted as Rose Quartz and… you know the rest.”

Ey-One nodded, but she still looked confused. “What about… us?”

“The other Diamonds built the Zoo for Pink because they thought that was what she wanted. It wasn’t.” Steven explained.

There was a long moment of silence.

“Do you hate me now?” Steven asked.

“Why would I hate you?” Ey-One asked back.

“Because my Mom is the reason why… everyone was…”

“Yeah, that’s true.” She said, blunt. “I feel like I need more time to fully process this, but things aren’t looking good for her right now.”

Her hand grabbed her gem, and Steven was sure she was thinking about her mother and all the other Rose Quartzes who were unfairly punished for what his mother did. For something that hadn’t even happened.

“But why would I hate _you_?” Ey-One asked again.

Steven was unsure of what to say. Why wouldn’t she, after all he just told her? Ey-One said herself things weren’t looking good for…

“None of this is your fault. You are as guilty of what she did as I am of the time my Mom almost destroyed the Zoo’s water systems.” She said.

“Your Mom didn’t start a war,” Steven said bitterly.

“You didn’t either. You are not Pink Diamond, Steven. I mean, I guess you’re half… pink diamond… but not _the_ Pink Diamond.”

Steven sighed. Sometimes he felt that Ey-One just insisted he was not his mother and had nothing to do with what she did because she wanted to believe she was not hers. It was easy for her to separate herself from her mother, though. She didn’t have to see evidence of her mistakes all around her. Ey-One’s mother was an actually nice gem who made the Zoo better for everyone living there. Steven’s mother was a fraud.

“Steven…?”

“Does this mean we can still be friends?” He asked. He didn’t want to think about his mother right now. He just wanted to not lose his friend.

“Of course.” Ey-One smiled. “This doesn’t change anything between us.”

Steven was relieved. “Thank you.” He stood up. “Will I see you at the wedding?”

“Of course! By the way… what do I wear to a wedding?”

“Something pretty!”

“Are you implying I have any clothes that are not pretty?” She playfully asked. Steven had given her some clothes when she first arrived on Earth so she could get rid of the Zoo uniform, but since then Ey-One had learned how to sew so she could make her own. She had a lot of fun with it.

“Of course not.” Steven chuckled. “Just wear what feels right. I am sure it will be perfect!”

They said their goodbyes and Steven walked back to the warp pad, waving to the people he passed. He still had to tell of them about his mother too, but after talking to Ey-One, he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. 


	3. Holly Blue and the little Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Holly Blue is a Mom to Ey-One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is set before the others, when Ey-One was still a small kid.

During her development from an infant to a fully formed human, the little spawn of Rose Quartz that was named “A1” went through a phase in which she was curious about everything around her. Living in a space station with almost no rules, and having everyone in there wrapped around her minuscule finger, mostly for being “cute”, she had no reason to be discouraged from pursuing her curiosity.

Holly Blue Agate did try to keep herself away from the collective hysteria that formed around the girl every time she did about anything, but even though she was never too fond of Rose Quartz Facet 5 Cut A10 (or so she said), she too was caught by the incomprehensible charm of little Ey-One.

Which is how she found herself often with the girl in her room, answering increasingly absurd questions.

“Why do you want to learn about gems? You know every gem in this station!”

Ey-One was unfazed by her shouts. She was used to it.

“Yeah, but what about the rest of the gems? Like that one that always follows Blue Diamond around?”

“Don’t worry about the Pearl.” Holly Blue said.

“Her name is Pearl?” Ey-One’s eyes lit up. “Do you know her? What is she like?”

“Well, actually I don’t. I’m not supposed to go around _chatting_ with her.” Holly Blue rolled her eyes. “But everyone knows who she is.”

Even at that young age, Ey-One knew that gems had a bunch of rules and that they didn’t always make sense, so she didn’t pay much attention to that part. Instead it was Holly Blue’s use of “everyone” that bothered her.

“I don’t!” She said. “I don’t even know how many types of gems are there. It’s unfair. I am a gem too!” Her hand went to her gem, hidden under her clothes.

Holly Blue sighed. “What is even the use? You’re not going to meet them.”

“I could meet them…” Ey-One said.

“No, you couldn’t.” Holly Blue said, picking her up and placing her on her table, so she could properly look at her in the eyes. “No one can know about you, Ey-One. They wouldn’t understand. You would be in danger.”

Ey-One had heard those words just a million times before, from about everyone she knew. She knew gems didn’t like humans. She knew gems didn’t like Rose Quartzes. She knew she was both, and that there wasn’t anyone else like her as far as they knew. She knew gems hated what they didn’t know.

But it didn’t make her any less curious about them. Holly Blue was the oldest gem on the station, and the only one of them who had ever been on Homeworld. Not even Ey-One’s mother had been there. Holly Blue was as trapped there like everyone else, of course, but she had seen more than any of them. Surely it couldn’t all be bad, right?

“What if anyone saw me?” Ey-One asked. “What should I even do?”

Holly Blue decided to entertain her. “If any gem saw you, you should just pretend to be a lost, helpless human so they would call me to put you back on your place.”

Ey-One pouted. That was no fun. “What if it wasn’t in the station?”

“You have no business outside the station! Your human body wasn’t designed for space travel!”

“What if, Holly Blue! Just what if.” Ey-One insisted.

Holly Blue thought a bit. “I suppose most gems wouldn’t pay attention to an organic like you on a colony… Just stay out of their way and you won’t get in trouble. Possibly.”

That was still no fun. Ey-One looked away, already thinking of the next question to ask.

“Don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, and don’t even think of getting anywhere near them.” She paused. “However, if it was in a place like Homeworld…”

Ey-One’s attention was back to her.

“There are no organics in Homeworld.” Holly Blue said. “You would stand out too much.”

“Then I should just pretend to be a regular gem!”

Holly Blue smiled. “That wouldn’t do. You don’t act like a gem. You would only get in trouble.” A pause. “Besides, you are a Rose Quartz. You are a public enemy. They would have you shattered.”

The harsh words made Ey-One look sad, her eyes were teary. Holly Blue quickly tried to fix it.

“Though I guess most newer gems had never seen a Rose Quartz before, so maybe they wouldn’t recognize you. You’re also too small and thin for a Quartz.” She gently teased.

“Some of my best friends are too small and thin for a Quartz,” Ey-One said confidently.

Holly Blue showed her a sad smile. “That kind of attitude would get you nowhere on Homeworld. If you want to survive there, you have to play by their rules.”

“Like we do here when someone is around?”

“Like we do here when someone is around.” Holly Blue nodded. “Now, an easy trick to get away from trouble with almost any gem is to use the hierarchy. If they don’t know what kind of gem you are, pretend you are higher than them. If they do, pretend you know someone higher than them. Nothing scares more a gem than getting into trouble with their superiors.”

Ey-One made a pose. “Don’t touch me! Do you know who you’re talking to?” She shouted in a dramatic tone.

Holly Blue had to admit, she was a natural.

“Wait. Diamonds are the highest gems, right?” The girl asked.

“Yes.”

“What do I do if I get into trouble with them?”

Holly Blue was hit by a terrible mental image. Blue Diamond finding out about Ey-One. It’s not like she had never thought of it before, it was one of the things that she thought most about when the Diamond was around. But right now, looking at Ey-One’s innocent face, it seemed more real. More frightening.

“You obey and hope for the best.”

Ey-One frowned. “You’re afraid of them.”

“Every sensible gem should have a healthy fear of them.” Holly Blue said.

“Not every gem feared them…”

Holly Blue knew who she was talking about. Stars, she would never get used to how casually everyone talked about the rebel Rose Quartz or what she did. She still got shivers every time she thought of it.

“And look how well that went for her. For all of you!” She said, anger showing in her voice.

“We are fine,” Ey-One said. “You are fine.”

“We almost weren’t. The others… they are all here as a punishment.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“It could have been.” Holly Blue gave her a serious look. “I am not exaggerating, Ey-One. They would shatter you just for being a Rose Quartz. Just for being like her.”

Ey-One gave her an equally serious look, or as much as she could. “I won’t let them. I won’t let them hurt me or anyone else here.”

How could such a tiny creature speak with such certainty? She would stand no chance. She was a Quartz but she couldn’t fight, couldn’t even summon a weapon. She had all the weaknesses humans had. She was…

She was so much like her mother. Rose Quartz A10 managed to take over the station on her own, with only the help of a bunch of humans. She shouldn’t have been able to do it, and she had. And here her daughter was, enjoying an amount of freedom many generations of humans before her had never dreamed of.

“About using the hierarchy…” Ey-One interrupted her train of thought. “How does it work? What is the hierarchy like?”

“Stars, you really don’t know anything.”

Ey-One looked at her as if she was stupid. “Yeah. I never left the station.”

“Right…” Holly Blue said. “You have a lot to learn… where do I even start?”


End file.
